


If You Leave Me Now

by illshoyousomething



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Depression, Fluff, It's gonna be a happy fluff filled fic I swear, M/M, Single Dad Minseok au, Social Anxiety, dark pasts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-10 03:13:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10427883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/illshoyousomething/pseuds/illshoyousomething
Summary: Kim Minseok is a 27 year old father just trying to make ends meet. His past always seems to catch up with him, but maybe he has finally found a home.





	1. Run

The rain lashed against the windscreen as Minseok pulled up into the parking bay. His car had fogged over from the cold and he could barely see where he was going. With a heavy sigh he turned off the engine and stepped out into the pouring rain. In front of him was his new home - Park Court Apartments. 

As he walked through the door and into the building he quickly realised that the name was all for show. The walls were an off white and the floor a dirty green, the wooden chairs scattered around the room were chipped and scratched and the lift was decorated with a white notice that read "Out of Use". The floor groaned underneath his feet as he trudged up the stairs to the 5th floor. Eventually he arrived at his new home, number 926. The corridor was surprisingly well lit despite the lack of windows and the bronze door knob only sported a small amount of rust. Slowly, he unlocked the door and opened it cautiously, scared at the potential mess that he would encounter. He was surprised to find a clean, spacious flat with freshly painted walls and plenty of natural light. The previous owner seemed to have put a lot of effort into this place which Minseok was thankful for. After exploring the other rooms he headed back to my car and started unloading the boxes into the lobby. He had just put down the box labelled "Books" when he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to find a smiling man, who looked no older than himself, standing by the pile of moving boxes. 

"Do you want some help with these? It seems a lot for just one guy." asked Mr Smile, who was looking thoughtfully at the box labelled "Rose's Clothes". 

"Most of these are my daughter's, you know what kids are like with possessions they just can't let them go." Minseok answered, regretting it almost instantly. 

"Oh, so how old is your daughter?" 

Minseok paused, worried about the man's opinion. 

"Her name's Rose and she's 13," 

"13? You don't look much older than that yourself!" 

"I'm 27 actually…" 

The stranger stood still and stared at him for a moment before the smile returned to his face and he bent down to pick one of the boxes up. 

"I'm not that surprised to be honest…" replied the man thoughtfully, while standing up again, "This place is home to all of us rejects who can't find anywhere else to go. The names Junmyeon by the way." 

"It's nice to you Junmyeon, I'm Minseok, Kim Minseok." beamed Minseok, as he grabbed a box for himself. 

"Ah a fellow Kim! We should probably get these up before your daughter gets here, what floor are you on?" 

"5th," 

"Really? That's my floor.Your lucky your nice though," groaned Junmyeon, "This... is gonna be painful," 

After what felt like hours they finally moved all the boxes into his apartment without breaking any putting out their backs in the process. 

"Thank you so much for the help, I don't think I would have survived if I had to do that on my own. I'd offer you tea but I don't know where my kettle is!" stated Minseok as Junmyeon started to leave. 

"It's no problem, anytime. Me and Yixing live 2 doors down so your welcome to visit whenever you like." 

"Yixing?" 

"Ah my boyfriend, Zhang Yixing!" announced Suho dramatically 

"I came to see what all the noise was about and now I wish I didn't," a voice announced from behind Junmyeon. 

Suho turned around and dragged the figure into the room before facing Minseok again with a smile even brighter than before. 

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear... Minseok, meet Yixing and Yixing, meet Minseok, he's our new neighbor." 

Just by looking at the two stood side-by-side, Minseok could tell they were happily in love. Junmyeon was outwardly bright, with dyed red hair and a goofy smile which seemed to be a permanent feature of his face while Yixing was more reserved, with natural black hair and a small but warm smile which, paired with his dimples, made Minseok melt inside. The couple stood there, hand in hand, and Minseok suddenly felt excited for the future. 

"It's nice to meet you Minseok," said Yixing cheerfully. 

"It's nice to meet you too, you seem just as nice as Junmyeon," Minseok replied, the pairs happy personalities were infectious and he found himself smiling along. 

"Don't get too close to him though," warned Yixing with a grin, "He's not worth it trust me," 

"HEY!" protested Junmyeon 

Minseok laughed at Junmyeon's pathetic attempt to hide his smile as he walked away from Yixing in a fake strop. 

"You don't have to worry, he's not my type." reassured Minseok. 

"Dont tell me, another gay Korean…If anymore move here I'm leaving I swear your all taking over!" laughed Yixing as he tried to convince Junmyeon to join the conversation again. 

"There's more?" asked Minseok 

"There's not that many of us…just me, you, Jongdae, Baekhyun, Sehun and Kyungsoo and technically Jongdae is Bi so that's like 5." pointed out Junmyeon who had returned to Yixing's side. 

"5 too many…" muttered Yixing 

"Apologise to Minseok, that was mean!"   
"Nope." 

Junmyeon muttered something as he grabbed the now grinning Yixing by the arm and pulled him into the corridor, stopping once they were outside.   
"Minseok, you and Rose are formally invited to dinner at our place tonight. Be there at 7, Yixing is cooking!" shouted Junmyeon as he continued to drag Yixing away, who was muttering something inaudible in Chinese. 

Minseok spent the next couple of hours moving the boxes into their allocated room and sorting out the kitchen. By the time 5 had rolled around it was almost complete, all he needed to do was buy some food tomorrow but at least they were getting fed tonight. He felt his phone buzz and pulled it out to see that Rose had messaged him. 

From ROSE-y   
Hey Dad I just finished practice can you pick me up? 

To ROSE-y   
Yeah sure, I'll be there at 10 and I'll explain in the car xxx 

Minseok ran down the stairs and sprinted through the rain to his car hoping not to get soaked again. While driving he tried to look for any nice-looking restaurants or shops to explore tomorrow while he still had the time off. He pulled into the school parking lot and flashed his lights at Rose, who was hiding under a tree for shelter. 

"Hello love, how was school?" asked Minseok as Rose climbed into the car. 

"It was good! The tournaments start next month so practice was intense," answered Rose 

"When's your first match? I'll see if I can get some time off," 

"The 21st..." 

The car fell into a silence that wasn't quiet comfortable, but still warm, even though Minseok had been dreading this. 

"So…," started Rose, unsure what to say, "What actually happened?" 

"I'm sorry..." 

"Dad? What happened?" 

"The landlord somehow found out about my lovely past and he didn't want me to 'ruin their image' or something so he kicked us out..." 

"Oh..." 

"I know...are you okay with everything?" questioned Minseok as he grabbed Rose's hand to try and comfort her. 

"I'm angry and a bit sad because I really liked that place, but I trust you enough to know that everything is gonna be fine," answered Rose with a small smile.

"What would I do without you?" sighed Minseok, squeezing her hand gently. 

The two stayed silent for the rest of the trip, humming along to the radio with Minseok refusing to let go until they reached their new home. 

"We're here…Ignore the reception area, the apartments are much nicer than the rest of the building I swear," warned Minseok as he lead Rose into the building. 

Minseok had had enough of the stairs by the time they reached the 5th floor, as he must have been up and down about 15 times within the past 5 hours. Rose was looking around the place silently, taking in the new surroundings and her new home. 

"Welcome to 926 Park Court!" announced Minseok as he opened the door triumphantly. 

He watched as Rose walked into the room and looked around. She slowly moved around the apartment, opening each door and looking inside thoughtfully until she reached what would be her new room. She sat on her bed and bounced slightly to see how comfortable it was before leaving to sit next to her Dad on the couch. 

"So, what do you think?" asked Minseok cautiously 

"I love it!" replied Rose enthusiastically, her reserved expression melting away as she began to ramble about all the different ideas she had for decorating the various rooms. 

The two were sat discussing what colour scheme the living room should be when they heard a knock on the door. Minseok looked at his watched and jumped out of his seat when he saw the time. 

"Ah Rose, go get changed quickly! Dammit...I completely lost track of time," muttered Minseok 

"Where are we going?" 

"Oh yeah I forgot to mention it. We've been invited round to one of our neighbours flat for dinner… speaking of which, I should really go get the door." 

Rose rushed into her room to find an outfit while Minseok went to answer the door, where he found Junmyeon waiting, still smiling just as before. 

"Hey Minseok! Where's Rose? I wanted to meet her before Yixing does," 

"She's just getting changed, she'll be out in a second." 

"Ah good! I forgot to ask but... you do like Indian right?" 

 

Junmyeon and Yixing's flat was simple and unassuming, much like the couple themselves. The colour scheme for the flat was monochrome, with each room having one extra colour to brighten it up. The kitchen was dotted with red appliances and flowers while the living room had blue couches and curtains, as well as a painting of the sea hung up on the wall. Minseok tried to notice all the little details of the rooms, as no piece seemed out of place. 

"So what do you think?" asked Junmyeon 

"It's lovely, you've put a lot of effort into it. It's also surprisingly…neat," replied Minseok 

Minseok could hear Yixing laugh from the kitchen. 

"These 2 rooms are the only one's that we bother with, since it's what our guests are gonna see. The beds an absolute mess!" 

Rose snickered from across the room. Minseok sighed and glared at her until he heard Junmyeon started to laugh. 

"Oh boy you have no idea," muttered Junmyeon with a smirk, not realising that he had spoken out-loud. 

This comment caused the apartment to erupt into a fit of laughter. Rose had slipped off her seat onto the floor while Yixing could be heard coughing from the kitchen. Minseok had collapsed onto Junmyeon's side, unable to keep himself upright anymore while muttering about how he "never needed to know that, ever". The three eventually calmed down and started to chat about anything and everything they could think of until Yixing called Junmyeon to help him bring the food out. Dinner went on quietly, all 4 of them enjoying the food too much to eat until the silence was interrupted by a knock on the door. Junmyeon rose from his seat and went to see who it was. Minseok couldn't see anything, as he was facing away from the door, but he could hear the new guest; and he was sure that the rest of the apartment block could as well. 

"I went to say hi to the new guy but he wasn't answering when I knocked and I assumed you'd invited him other. Like when I first moved here! Mmm the meal that time was really nice but you never gave me the recipe I'd really like it do you still have it?" rambled the stranger as Junmyeon let him in. 

The man was slightly taller than Minseok, had bright red hair and was sporting two black ear piercings with matching eyeliner. He wore fashionable clothes and designer brands, even if he lived in these cheap apartments. The stranger was loud, but not in Junmyeon's goofy childish way. More like a 5 year old who’s designated themselves as the leader of their friend group kind of way. 

“Hello Yixing! And who’s the cutie sitting next to you?” asked the stranger rather bluntly. 

“My name is Minseok and this is my daughter, Rose” 

“Daughter? You look about 20!” 

“Yeah I get that a lot…” 

“Don’t sweat it! My name‘s Byun Baekhyun but you can call me Baek, or Baekkie or Hyun...also babe if you’d like,” announced Baekhyun, with a bow and a wink.

Minseok laughed at Baekhyun's antics and motioned for him to sit down. Rose was laughing at Baekhyun’s shameless flirting and giving Minseok evil grins from across the room. Minseok prayed for some god to take him away right there. 

The evening continued normally after that, with Junmyeon challenging everyone to Mario Kart and then refusing to talk when Baekhyun beat him twice in a row. Yixing watched quietly from as the four of them played, laughing whenever anyone would fall off the track and shout at the screen. Late into the evening they were all sitting on the blue carpet in their living room and enjoying the comfortable silence that had enveloped the apartment. 

“Hey Junmyeon, has Minseok talked to Jongdae yet?” asked Baekhyun quietly. 

“No not yet, I wasn’t sure how to do it,” answered Junmyeon 

“Jongdae? You mentioned him earlier. Is something wrong with him?” wondered Minseok 

“No he’s one of the most normal people in this building, apart from his anxiety he’s completely sane.” replied Junmyeon, “He’s pretty famous on YouTube and last month he had a rather… unpleasant encounter with a fan which increased his symptoms so to speak,” 

“Oh…” 

“He’s really great though! He was talking really excitedly about his ‘cute new neighbour’ to me earlier so I’m sure you have nothing to worry about,” pointed out Baekhyun. 

“Well tell him I’m flattered that he thinks I’m cute...oh and if I can have his number,” 

“Kim Minseok you smooth bugger!” shouted Junmyeon 

“No no no I mean I didn’t mean it like that I mean- Rose stop laughing!” defended Minseok as he tried to keep a straight face. 

Once the group had settled down again, Baekhyun messaged Jongdae and started what he liked to call “Operation Get Minseok Laid”, which made the mentioned man splutter again. 

To Jongay   
Cute neighbour would like your number 

From Jongay   
Sure Baek I believe you, any normal person would totally want that 

To Jongay   
He’s just as fucked up as us dw   
Sooooo????? 

From Jongay   
Yeah sure, It’s not like I care 

“Jongdae says it’s alright so gimme your phone and I’ll set up his contact,” said Baekhyun. 

To Jongay   
Don't lie to me I heard your excited squeal from here 

Baekhyun put Jongdae’s number into Minseok's phone, setting the contact as “Future husband” just to spite him. This earned him a slap from said man, who was now refusing to talk to him and had turned his attention to pestering Rose with horrid dad jokes. Midnight crept up on the group, as well as the dawning realisation that most of the group had a normal life to return to tomorrow, apart from Minseok, who had taken the next couple of days off to sort the house out. 

Minseok walked into their new home and collapsed on the sofa. It had been a long and stressful day and all he wanted was to go to sleep. He didn’t have a bed yet so the old grey sofa would have to do. As he laid there his mind began to replay the events of the day, from meeting Junmyeon and Yixing to finding about their new neighbour Jongdae. Jongdae. The name intrigued him. Who was he? What is he like? Would he ever open up to him? Minseok stared at the phone in his hands and studied the contact info carefully. He decided that before texting his mysterious new neighbour he may as well look him up on YouTube, as Baekhyun did mention that he was quite famous on the website. 

Minseok scrolled down the list of videos before he came to the thumbnail for “She will be loved”, a song that he had loved ever since he first heard it. He clicked the video and was surprised to see a happy, and very handsome, young man with prominent cheekbones and a cat-like mouth that curled up at the sides even when he wasn’t smiling. Although the man’s face was beautiful, nothing could compare to his voice. Minseok stared in awe, transfixed by the slender fingers as they strummed the guitar, while his mouth let out the most beautiful voice he had ever heard. His voice was distinct and meant that he could easily hit the high and the low notes with ease. Minseok didn’t even realise that the song had finished, too entranced by his voice, until Jongdae’s voice returned in the next video. He watched and watched his neighbour's covers and original songs until the early hours of the morning.   
It was 3 in the morning when Minseok finally decided to go to sleep. After brushing his teeth he turned off the lights and went to sleep, not before his sleep-deprived self sent one final message. 

To Jongdae   
Hello It's your new neighbour Minseok! Baekhyun gave me your number, I hope that’s alright. I hope we can become friends and that this doesn't wake you up :-)


	2. Put Your Records On

Minseok woke up to the sound of a door closing behind him. He turned his head and stared at the wooden door before checking the time on his phone. The screen told him it was 7:30 and that Rose had just left for school, but that wasn't what caught his eye. 

 **New Messages: Jongdae**  

He hesitantly clicked the notifications and was relieved to see find he hadn't been told to never talk to his neighbour again. 

 **From Jongdae 7:01**  

It's nice to meet you Minseok! My name's Jongdae but I guess you already know that…  

It's nice to have a new person move in. Do you have a daughter I thought I saw a teenage girl with you yesterday. 

That sounds creepy I'm sorry… 

Can't wait to get to know you more! ;)   

 **From Jongdae 7:03**  

I DIDN"T MEAN THE WINKY FACE IM SORRY   

 **From Jongdae 7:06**  

I'm not a stalker either I just happened to see you 

  

Minseok chuckled as he read the messages. Jongdae was certainly talkative, and he seemed nice which was always an added bonus. Minseok decided to think about his reply while getting ready for the day, as he wasn't quite sure how to reply to Jongdae's heap of messages. By the time he got back to his phone it was already 8 o'clock and the city had finally come to life. Although the building was located in a poorer side of the city It was located on higher ground so you could see the city centre and all the commuters on their way to work. Minseok would happily spend his days watching the blur of speeding vehicles as they raced throughout the many, many roads. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and was reminded that he still had to message Jongdae back. 

  

 **To Jongdae 8:04**  

Haha It's fine and yes I do have a daughter, her name's Rose! Although idk whether to trust you or not as you sound like a stalker 

 **From Jongdae 8:05**  

I'm not a stalker I promise  

 **To Jongdae 8:05**  

How do I know? I don't even know if your name really is Jongdae :-/ 

 **From Jongdae 8:07**  

What do you want me to do??? Show you my license??? 

 **To Jongdae 8:08**  

Yes 

Jongdae didn't reply after that so Minseok assumed he was busy and decided to tackle the living room, but almost gave up as soon as he saw the pile of boxes of DVD's that welcomed him into the room. He arranged them into alphabetical order and placed them into the bookcase and entertainment units. Rose had wanted a warm colour scheme for this room so Minseok decided to go find the nearest B&Q and do some D.I.Y. 

He came back an hour later with red paint and orange and yellow fabrics, plus a starbucks which he had picked up on the way back. Minseok was pretty good at decorating if he said so himself. Years of moving from house to house had meant that he had to learn if he wanted their various homes to ever feel welcoming. Minseok heard the ping of a notification just as he was finishing the third pillow and placed his equipment down to see what it was. 

 **New Messages:** **Jongdae**  

 

 **From Jongdae 11:33**  

-Image- 

Here you go!!! Will you please tell the police I'm not an actual stalker now  

 **To Jongdae 11:40**  

I can't believe you actually sent a photo lmao 

Also it's hyung to you 

 **From Jongdae 11:42**  

We're not in Korea now "hyung" 

Also I'm calling bullshit you look like 13 

 **To Jongdae 11:50**  

-Image- 

Respect your elders you lil shit 

Also Rose is 13 how would I be able to have her if I was also 13 

 **From Jongdae 11:51**  

Wait she's like your biological daughter like not adopted???? 

  

Minseok cursed himself under his breath. So much for making a good impression... 

  

 **To Jongdae 11:53**  

Please don't hate me… 

 **From Jongdae 11:54**  

Why would I hate you? 

Also I've hidden myself away and refused to make proper human contact for a month so who am I to judge lmao 

Minseok???? 

I'm sorry for probably scaring you away this is why I'm hiding whoops 

 **To Jongdae 11:58**  

It's fine honestly 

We can be weird together 

 **From Jongdae 11:59**  

definitely ;) 

THE WINKY FACE AGAIN I SWEAR 

  

Minseok chuckled quietly while staring at his phone. Talking to Jongdae was certainly a rollercoaster and It was nice to find someone who didn't judge, and by the sounds of it had just as many problems as Minseok himself. Minseok wondered what happened to Jongdae to make him hide away, but decided that the other man would tell him when he felt comfortable.  

He looked at the clock on the wall and was surprised to find that it was already midday. As if on queue, his stomach started to growl and Minseok realised he hadn't eaten all day. He made his way to the kitchen and made himself a pot noodle, because he still hadn't gone to the shops. Minseok thought it would probably be best to buy some food and went to find his wallet. He walked into his room and opened the window, as it got quite stuffy with the sun beating down into the room all day.  

Minseok leaned against the windowsill and took in the view once again. The cool spring air blew against his face, pushing his fringe back. It was one of the warmest days of the year so far and Minseok could think of nothing better to do than stroll through the park nearby. He was just about to move away when he heard the faint whisper of music floating across the breeze. Listening closely he could recognise the song, and was surprised to hear a familiar voice which had just started singing along. 

  

"Three little birds, sat on my window 

And they told me I don't need to worry 

Summer came like cinnamon 

So sweet 

Little girls double-dutch on the concrete" 

  

Minseok found himself singing along with the voice which he now recognised as Jongdae's and he turned towards the other's window. His neighbour started to harmonise with Minseok's voice as the two leaned out their respective windows, eyes never leaving each others as they sang together. 

  

"Maybe sometimes, we've got it wrong, but it's alright 

The more things seem to change, the more they stay the same 

Oh, don't you hesitate 

Girl put your records on, tell me your favourite song 

You go ahead, let your hair down 

Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams 

Just go ahead let your hair down 

You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow"  

  

It was in the sunlight that Minseok could truly admire Jongdae. A smile that seemed contagious and a laugh that echoed throughout the air as if it was the only thing that needed to be heard. His high cheekbones, which were only accentuated by the midday sun, and his eyes, which seemed to pierce Minseok's soul and stitch it back together simultaneously, could only be described as perfect. The camera Jongdae uses did nothing to show the man's real beauty. 

  

"Blue as the sky, sunburnt and lonely 

Sipping tea in the bar by the roadside 

Just relax, Just relax 

Don't you let those other boys fool you 

Gotta love that afro hairdo"  

  

Below them stood bystanders, trying to locate the sound of singing and staring at the sky in wonder. On the other side of their corridor, two lovers danced to the same music while an unknown man, tapped to an unknown rhythm on a motorbike below. Minseok was so lost in the moment that he would never notice. 

  

"Maybe sometimes we feel afraid, but it's alright 

The more you stay the same, the more they seem to change 

Don't you think its strange?" 

  

Little did he know that Jongdae was as completely lost in the moment as he. He didn't know that all Jongdae could see were his piercing, cat like eyes. He didn't know that Jongdae traced the outline of Minseoks face in the light, and counted the different shades in his hair. All he knew was that in that moment the rest of the world slipped away, leaving two neighbours who barely knew each other wondering why they felt so light-headed. 

  

"Just more than I could take 

Pity for pity's sake 

Some nights kept me awake 

I thought that I was stronger 

When you gonna realise that you don't even have to try any longer? 

Do what you want to" 

  

The song ended almost as quickly as it started, and so did the magic of the moment. Minseok saw the slight change in Jongdae's expression as the man left his window, the way he moved from elation, to realisation of the situation and had to leave. Minseok let him. He knew that it would take time for Jongdae to open up to him, but he knew that it would be worth the wait.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!  
> Sorry for the long update + short chapter but it just felt right to end it there  
> I've already got a good chunk of the next chapter written so It'll be ready a lot quicker  
> The song is Put your records on by Corinne Bailey Rae and the inspiration for the scene came from the day6 cover so I'd recommend checking both of them out they're both great! 
> 
> See you next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello,
> 
> Welcome to my new fic I hope you like it so far! The story is set in London for the most part and I'm going to try and update at least once a week.  
> Comments and criticism would be really cool (This is unbeta'd so please point out any mistakes)  
> Anyways, See you next time
> 
> Iris


End file.
